Virtual Reality Therapeutic Art for Adult Hospitalized Patients and Caregivers: A Mixed-Methods Project

Sophina McDaniel; Rachyl Pines; Emily M He; Faith Collins; Faaizah Arshad; Maria Menendez; Vishnunarayan Girishan Prabhu; Thomas J Caruso

doi:10.1177/23743735251330467

Virtual Reality Therapeutic Art for Adult Hospitalized Patients and Caregivers: A Mixed-Methods Project

J Patient Exp. 2025 Mar 25:12:23743735251330467. doi: 10.1177/23743735251330467. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Sophina McDaniel¹, Rachyl Pines¹, Emily M He², Faith Collins³, Faaizah Arshad³, Maria Menendez³, Vishnunarayan Girishan Prabhu^{1

4}, Thomas J Caruso⁵

Affiliations

¹ Office of Patient Experience, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, CA, USA.
² Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
³ Stanford Chariot Program, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
⁴ School of Modeling, Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Stanford, CA, USA.

Abstract

Increased stress, anxiety, and depression hinder recovery of hospitalized patients. Mindfulness therapies, which adopt a holistic approach to patient care, reduce anxiety, and depression. This quality improvement initiative evaluated the implementation of a virtual reality (VR) therapeutic art program at Stanford Health Care from February to June 2024, providing an innovative and scalable adjunct to traditional art and music mindfulness therapies. This mixed methods project piloted 84 cumulative hours with 105 participants. Outcomes investigated satisfaction and the impact on hospitalization experience via survey questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results (n = 40) indicated substantial improvements in patient experience, with 85% recommending the program and 97.5% reporting positive impacts from VR engagement. Thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses identified 4 key themes: escape and distraction, therapeutic benefits, enjoyment of the interactive activity, and positive facilitator interactions. Participants also expressed interest in additional VR offerings, including virtual mindfulness, and meditation. The results suggest that VR can serve as an effective adjunct to conventional mindfulness therapies and improve the inpatient experience.

Keywords: life experience; mindfulness; therapeutic art; virtual reality.

Plain language summary

Project on Using Virtual Reality Therapeutic Art to Improve Patient Experience in the Hospital.

Why was the project done?: Anxiety and depression slow the recovery of hospitalized patients. Mindfulness therapies help, but access is often limited. This project evaluated a virtual reality (VR) therapeutic art program to improve the patient experience.

What did the researchers do?: From February to June 2024, 105 patients participated in the program, engaging with art through VR. Researchers collected feedback to assess the impact of VR on patient experiences.

What did the researchers find?: Out of the 105 participants, 40 completed the full VR experience and survey. And 85% recommended the program and nearly all 40 (97.5%) reported that the VR experience positively affected their hospital stay. Key themes from their feedback included: Escape and Distraction: Many found the VR experience provided a welcomed break from the hospital environment.Therapeutic Benefits: Users reported feeling calmer and happier during and after the VR sessions.Enjoyment: Participants enjoyed the interactive and creative aspects of the VR activities.Positive Facilitator Interactions: Patients appreciated the support and connection with trained facilitators.Participants also showed interest in expanding VR offerings, such as virtual mindfulness and meditation.

What do the findings mean?: The project indicated that VR enhanced patient satisfaction and wellbeing during hospital stays. Future directions include expanding VR training with other therapeutic art facilitators to facilitate patient access to these therapeutic tools.